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ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA

Island-Hopping Adventure on Three Barrier Islands: St. Simons, Sapelo, Jekyll

Itinerary for Mar 23 — Mar 28, 2014

Description: The hotel is centrally located on St. Simons Island and close to everything the Golden Isles have to offer: the finest beaches and golf courses, restaurants, historical sites, water sports and shopping. Your resort hotel has an outdoor pool, rooms that overlook the golf course or tidal marshlands, and all of this in the surrounds of giant live oak trees. Each guest room has a small refrigerator and sink. The deluxe rooms are some of the largest standard guest rooms in the Golden Isles. With breathtaking views from a screened porch or sunroom overlooking the marsh or golf course, the recently renovated rooms offer two double beds, a large bathroom with double sink vanity, a refrigerator, coffee maker and a wet bar.

Facility amenities: Sea Palms Golf and Tennis Resort offers 27 holes of golf on three newly renovated courses. Enjoy spectacular views of the marsh while placing challenging shots over lagoons and beneath the majestic live oaks. Two pristine swimming pools, both with children’s wading areas, are located on the property. One is adjacent to the guest rooms and restaurant and the other is at the tennis and fitness center facility. Enjoy the tiki bar located beside the pool and the Putters Room and bar. For fitness enthusiasts, we are pleased to announce the opening of a new fitness facility as part of the existing tennis and fitness center. State of the art resistance and aerobic equipment will help keep you in shape while on vacation or attending a conference. Bicycles may be rented for full- and half-days at the Golf Pro shop. Biking is the perfect way to experience the beauty of St. Simons Island to its fullest. All guests of Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort may enjoy unlimited access to the St. Simons Beach Club, located right on the Atlantic Ocean and just a four mile drive from the resort.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: Call for seasonal rate.Participants arriving early or staying late need to call the hotel and make arrangements. 912-638-3351 or 1-800-841-6268

Check in time: 4:00 PM

Day One: Sunday, March 23 - Registration and Orientation

Afternoon: Hotel check-in begins at 4 p.m. at the Frederica Road Sea Palms Resort Registration and Check-in Center. After checking in and receiving your room key,
come to the designated meeting room at the conference center (map will be
given to you at check-in) to register with your Group Leader and pick up
your arrival packet. Orientation will begin at 5:00 pm in the designated room in the conference center. We will review the schedule and any updates and answer any questions you may have. All activities described in your program will take place but the daily itinerary may have to be altered. We appreciate your understanding. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m.

Description: The hotel is centrally located on St. Simons Island and close to everything the Golden Isles have to offer: the finest beaches and golf courses, restaurants, historical sites, water sports and shopping. Your resort hotel has an outdoor pool, rooms that overlook the golf course or tidal marshlands, and all of this in the surrounds of giant live oak trees. Each guest room has a small refrigerator and sink. The deluxe rooms are some of the largest standard guest rooms in the Golden Isles. With breathtaking views from a screened porch or sunroom overlooking the marsh or golf course, the recently renovated rooms offer two double beds, a large bathroom with double sink vanity, a refrigerator, coffee maker and a wet bar.

Facility amenities: Sea Palms Golf and Tennis Resort offers 27 holes of golf on three newly renovated courses. Enjoy spectacular views of the marsh while placing challenging shots over lagoons and beneath the majestic live oaks. Two pristine swimming pools, both with children’s wading areas, are located on the property. One is adjacent to the guest rooms and restaurant and the other is at the tennis and fitness center facility. Enjoy the tiki bar located beside the pool and the Putters Room and bar. For fitness enthusiasts, we are pleased to announce the opening of a new fitness facility as part of the existing tennis and fitness center. State of the art resistance and aerobic equipment will help keep you in shape while on vacation or attending a conference. Bicycles may be rented for full- and half-days at the Golf Pro shop. Biking is the perfect way to experience the beauty of St. Simons Island to its fullest. All guests of Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort may enjoy unlimited access to the St. Simons Beach Club, located right on the Atlantic Ocean and just a four mile drive from the resort.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: Call for seasonal rate.Participants arriving early or staying late need to call the hotel and make arrangements. 912-638-3351 or 1-800-841-6268

Check in time: 4:00 PM

Day Two: Monday, March 24 - St. Simons Beach/Marsh Study Field Trip/ St. Simo...

St. Simons Beach/Marsh Study Field Trip/ St. Simons Island History Field Trip/Turtles Of The Sea

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: This morning your naturalist will lead you on an exciting beach and marsh walk. You will come away with new information about the marshes and beaches that will amaze you and probably surprise you at the same time. Wear tennis shoes and don't worry about the marsh walk getting your shoes wet and muddy. When the tide recedes, the sand in the marshes is actually very hard and easy to walk on. You will be on the edge of the salt marsh because, of course, we don't want to disturb the environment. The beach walk is beautiful at any time of the year. You will discover many facts about the beach and the critters that make their home in the sand or in shells or other places that you may not have thought could be a home. It is a fun and exciting afternoon with one of our top instructors.

Lunch: Lunch will be at a popular island restaurant.

Afternoon: St. Simons Field Trip. Prepare for the St. Simons Island field trip by reviewing the history of one of Georgia's renowned Golden Isles (along with Sea Island, Jekyll Island and privately owned Little St. Simons Island). It is also the largest of the Golden Isles.
After being cultivated by English colonists for rice and cotton plantations worked by large populations of African slaves, who created the unique Gullah culture, the island since the early 20th century has been developed as a resort community. It has many seasonal residents, as well as a steady base of year-round residents. Many of the residents have settled here after retiring in other parts of Georgia or the United States. A stopover at Fort Frederica will allow time to walk among the ancient live oaks while going back in time to review the history with an expert. Fort Frederica was established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe to protect the southern boundary of his new colony of Georgia from the Spanish in Florida. Colonists from England, Scotland, and the Germanic states came to Georgia to support this endeavor. Other stops on St. Simons will include The St. Simons Lighthouse, tiny seaside village, avenue of oaks and more.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Lecture on "Turtles of the Sea." Sea turtles are some of the largest turtles in the world and live in almost every ocean of the world. Their smooth shells and paddle-like flippers help them speed through the water as fast as 15 mph. These long-distance travelers have been known to swim up to 3,000 miles. Although sea turtles cannot withdraw their heads into their shells, the adults are protected from predators by their shells, large size and thick scaly skin on their heads and necks. Your instructor will share with you the efforts being made to save the turtles, the turtle-excluder devices used by the shrimping industry and more.

Description: The hotel is centrally located on St. Simons Island and close to everything the Golden Isles have to offer: the finest beaches and golf courses, restaurants, historical sites, water sports and shopping. Your resort hotel has an outdoor pool, rooms that overlook the golf course or tidal marshlands, and all of this in the surrounds of giant live oak trees. Each guest room has a small refrigerator and sink. The deluxe rooms are some of the largest standard guest rooms in the Golden Isles. With breathtaking views from a screened porch or sunroom overlooking the marsh or golf course, the recently renovated rooms offer two double beds, a large bathroom with double sink vanity, a refrigerator, coffee maker and a wet bar.

Facility amenities: Sea Palms Golf and Tennis Resort offers 27 holes of golf on three newly renovated courses. Enjoy spectacular views of the marsh while placing challenging shots over lagoons and beneath the majestic live oaks. Two pristine swimming pools, both with children’s wading areas, are located on the property. One is adjacent to the guest rooms and restaurant and the other is at the tennis and fitness center facility. Enjoy the tiki bar located beside the pool and the Putters Room and bar. For fitness enthusiasts, we are pleased to announce the opening of a new fitness facility as part of the existing tennis and fitness center. State of the art resistance and aerobic equipment will help keep you in shape while on vacation or attending a conference. Bicycles may be rented for full- and half-days at the Golf Pro shop. Biking is the perfect way to experience the beauty of St. Simons Island to its fullest. All guests of Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort may enjoy unlimited access to the St. Simons Beach Club, located right on the Atlantic Ocean and just a four mile drive from the resort.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: Call for seasonal rate.Participants arriving early or staying late need to call the hotel and make arrangements. 912-638-3351 or 1-800-841-6268

Morning: Bus leaves for Jekyll Island field trip. A visit to the Jekyll Island Museum will include exhibitions featuring objects and photographs from extensive collections and introduce you to the rich heritage of Jekyll Island, whose social and architectural legacy is reflected in the Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark District, a 240-acre riverfront compound and one of the largest ongoing restoration projects in the southeastern United States.
Founded in 1886, the Jekyll Island Hotel was the winter retreat for some of America's most elite families. Club rolls included such names as Morgan, Astor, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and Pulitzer. Here, on this small barrier island off Georgia's beautiful coast, they shaped a private world of grand cottage residences around a Queen Anne-style clubhouse. Much of that world has been carefully preserved and faithfully restored in the Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District, where you will be a welcomed guest.

Lunch: Lunch will be at the historic Jekyll Island Hotel. The Jekyll Island Club Hotel is Jekyll Island's only four-star resort and National Historic Landmark. Enjoy elegant surroundings and simple pleasures.
Its impressive members included such luminaries as J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Vincent Astor, Joseph Pulitzer, William K. Vanderbilt, and other recognizable names on the roster were Macy, Goodyear and Gould.

Afternoon: You will enjoy your free time to pursue your own interests in the Jekyll Island
Historic District. These activities are not included in your program costs. Easy and
close walking will take you to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center or among the
oak-lined historic district to the shops that include special local pottery, Island
Treasures hand-blown glass art, apparel, books and more!

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Sit back and relax as you learn about the Barrier Island dynamics of Coastal Georgia from a naturalist.

Description: The hotel is centrally located on St. Simons Island and close to everything the Golden Isles have to offer: the finest beaches and golf courses, restaurants, historical sites, water sports and shopping. Your resort hotel has an outdoor pool, rooms that overlook the golf course or tidal marshlands, and all of this in the surrounds of giant live oak trees. Each guest room has a small refrigerator and sink. The deluxe rooms are some of the largest standard guest rooms in the Golden Isles. With breathtaking views from a screened porch or sunroom overlooking the marsh or golf course, the recently renovated rooms offer two double beds, a large bathroom with double sink vanity, a refrigerator, coffee maker and a wet bar.

Facility amenities: Sea Palms Golf and Tennis Resort offers 27 holes of golf on three newly renovated courses. Enjoy spectacular views of the marsh while placing challenging shots over lagoons and beneath the majestic live oaks. Two pristine swimming pools, both with children’s wading areas, are located on the property. One is adjacent to the guest rooms and restaurant and the other is at the tennis and fitness center facility. Enjoy the tiki bar located beside the pool and the Putters Room and bar. For fitness enthusiasts, we are pleased to announce the opening of a new fitness facility as part of the existing tennis and fitness center. State of the art resistance and aerobic equipment will help keep you in shape while on vacation or attending a conference. Bicycles may be rented for full- and half-days at the Golf Pro shop. Biking is the perfect way to experience the beauty of St. Simons Island to its fullest. All guests of Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort may enjoy unlimited access to the St. Simons Beach Club, located right on the Atlantic Ocean and just a four mile drive from the resort.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: Call for seasonal rate.Participants arriving early or staying late need to call the hotel and make arrangements. 912-638-3351 or 1-800-841-6268

Morning: Participants will board the "Lady Jane," a working shrimp boat, for a shrimp trawl. Sort the shrimp from the catch of bonnethead, blacktip, sand shark, horseshoe crab, puffer fish, amberjack, crocker, spot, whiting, bluecrab and skate. Then sit back and enjoy the delicious, fresh-caught shrimp cooked and served on board. Nature and ecology will be presented as you cruise the protected waters of the St. Simons Sound. See dolphin and coastal birds along the way.
Lovely Christ Church has captivated visitors for years with its distinctive architectural design and majestic live oak surroundings. This modern-day spectacle, like a vintage photograph, offers the Road Scholar viewer a peek into another time period. Ultimately, the widespread appeal of the site today may be linked to the 1880s generosity of Anson Dodge Jr., a man popularized by Eugenia Price in her book, "The Beloved Invader."

Lunch: Lunch will be on your own. There are many restaurants on the island that will allow you to take advantage of the island cuisine. Our motor coach will be happy to drop people off at the village and then you will only have to call the trolley or a taxi to return to the hotel.

Afternoon: Take time on your own to explore the beauty of the island or return to a favorite spot. Our coordinator will be happy to help you with plans for your free afternoon. Transportation can be arranged at your own expense with an island taxi or the trolley, which is $10-$15 round trip. They will take you anywhere on the island and pick you up when you are ready.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Sapelo Island history will be presented in preparation for your field trip to the island.

Description: The hotel is centrally located on St. Simons Island and close to everything the Golden Isles have to offer: the finest beaches and golf courses, restaurants, historical sites, water sports and shopping. Your resort hotel has an outdoor pool, rooms that overlook the golf course or tidal marshlands, and all of this in the surrounds of giant live oak trees. Each guest room has a small refrigerator and sink. The deluxe rooms are some of the largest standard guest rooms in the Golden Isles. With breathtaking views from a screened porch or sunroom overlooking the marsh or golf course, the recently renovated rooms offer two double beds, a large bathroom with double sink vanity, a refrigerator, coffee maker and a wet bar.

Facility amenities: Sea Palms Golf and Tennis Resort offers 27 holes of golf on three newly renovated courses. Enjoy spectacular views of the marsh while placing challenging shots over lagoons and beneath the majestic live oaks. Two pristine swimming pools, both with children’s wading areas, are located on the property. One is adjacent to the guest rooms and restaurant and the other is at the tennis and fitness center facility. Enjoy the tiki bar located beside the pool and the Putters Room and bar. For fitness enthusiasts, we are pleased to announce the opening of a new fitness facility as part of the existing tennis and fitness center. State of the art resistance and aerobic equipment will help keep you in shape while on vacation or attending a conference. Bicycles may be rented for full- and half-days at the Golf Pro shop. Biking is the perfect way to experience the beauty of St. Simons Island to its fullest. All guests of Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort may enjoy unlimited access to the St. Simons Beach Club, located right on the Atlantic Ocean and just a four mile drive from the resort.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: Call for seasonal rate.Participants arriving early or staying late need to call the hotel and make arrangements. 912-638-3351 or 1-800-841-6268

Check in time: 4:00 PM

Day Five: Thursday, March 27 - Ferry To Sapelo Island/Dinner At Popular Island R...

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: The ferry leaves for Sapelo Island promptly at 8:30 a.m. from Meridian, eight miles north of Darrien, Ga., about a 30-minute ride on the motor coach. We will leave the hotel by 7 a.m. in order to arrive promptly and have time for the visitor's center to pick up maps, etc. Prepare by taking your bottled water and any snack you may want. We will take care of your lunch. You will begin your day at the mainland visitor center, where you can learn about Sapelo's cultural history, coastal wildlife, and complex beach and dunes systems. After a 30-minute ferry ride,you'll arrive at this 11-mile-long island. Join your expert guide on a field trip on Sapelo Island on a bus or van.

Lunch: Lunch will be on Sapelo Island.

Afternoon: Sapelo field trip continues. Ferry leaves for the mainland at 2:30 p.m.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

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*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!